#Elsa Beskow

[kattahj]

I feel like the Gävle goat being eaten by birds is its most suitable fate yet, because it brings back two old traditions.

One is the yule goat as a gift giver. This was common in the 19th century, but then Jultomten/Santa took over.

Here's a picture from Elsa Beskow's old picture book "Petter och Lottas jul", with a family being visited by two separate yule goats bearing gifts.

The other pertinent tradition is the raising of a "julkärve", Christmas sheaf, for the birds to eat. This is still done, but not at all to the extent that it was in the mid 20th century.

In Alf Prøysens picture book "Den vesle bygda som glømte at det var jul" (The village that forgot that it was Christmas), it is a sheaf that makes a little girl remember that it's Christmas, and she then raises the sheaf in the flagpole to remind the rest of the village.

Hence, it is as though the Gävle goat has resumed its old position as gift giver, and has turned itself into a gift of a Christmas sheaf for the birds.

...Which also sounds uncomfortable like High Mass, when I think of it...

#gävlebocken #gävle goat #yule goat #elsa beskow #alf prøysen #christmas traditions

[pintoras]

Elsa Beskow (Swedish, 1874-1953): Sov du lilla videung, än så är det vinter… (via Wikimedia Commons)

#Elsa Beskow #women artists #women painters #art #painting #watercolour #swedish painters #public domain 2024

[lepetitdragonvert]

Artist : Elsa Beskow

1907

#elsa beskow #1907

[gnnosis]

it’s a sad song. but we sing it anyway.

[ the anthropocene reviewed, animated / “permanent,” the milk carton kids / richard siken / the good place 4x12 / the raven king, maggie stiefvater / hadestown (2017) / ted lasso 3x12 / elsa beskow / “no complaints,” noah kahan / angels in america ]

#web weaving #the anthropocene reviewed #john green #the milk carton kids #richard siken #the good place #maggie steifvater #the raven king #the raven boys #the raven cycle #noah czerny #hadestown #anais mitchell #ted lasso #ted lasso finale #elsa beskow #noah kahan #stick season we’ll all be here forever #we’ll all be here forever #angels in america #andrew garfield #web weave #my post

[thefaeriefolk]

#gnomes #fantasy art #vintage #elsa beskow

[lvoless]

On oranges

oranges - jean little / the sun egg - elsa beskow / the dream thieves - maggie stiefvater / we are okay - nina lacour / still life with oranges - robert spear dunning / 400 lux - lorde / golden girl - frank ocean

#web weaving #mine #art #poetry #photography #music #literature #jean little #oranges #love is quite literally stored in the orange !! #Elsa beskow #maggie stiefvater #the dream thieves #tdt #trc #ronan lynch #gansey #ronsey #nina lacour #we are okay #robert spear dunning #lorde #400 lux #pure heroine #frank ocean #i know there’s been like 20 different versions of this post but yknow #parallels #from my head

[heaveninawildflower]

Watercolour (early 1900′s) by Elsa Beskow (Swedish, 1874 - 1953).

I think the translation of the title is something like ‘Sleep little child, it is still Winter.’

Nationalmuseum Stockholm 

Wikipedia.

#Elsa Beskow #Winter #Swedish art #vintage illustration #pussy willow

[holespoles]

Swedish picture book author Elsa Beskow (1874-1953).

#Elsa Beskow #illustrations

[nijinokanatani]

Elsa Beskow(1874-1953) “Tummelisa” 1908

#elsa beskow #thumbelina #andersen #hans christian andersen

[huariqueje]

Christmas roses    -   Elsa Beskow

Swedish,  1874 - 1953

watercolour

#Elsa Beskow #swedish artist #winter landscape #child portrait #christmas rose

[kaixo-agur]

Elsa Beskow(1874-1953)

#elsa beskow #spring #sheep

[lepetitdragonvert]

Hänschen im Blaubeerenwald / Peter in Blueberry Land by Karsten Brandt

First Published in 1901

Artist : Elsa Beskow

#karsten brandt #elsa beskow #1901 #children's literature #fairy tale #children's books #vintage illustration #fairy story #children's book #old illustration #fairy #vintage books #blueberry children #squirrel #écureuil #bluberries #cranberries #lizard #lézard #frog #grenouille #slug #limace #caterpillar #chenille #dragonfly #libellule #river #forest #german books

[princesssarisa]

As long as we're discussing different filmed performances of The Nutcracker, I'd like to mention a very interesting one that I just discovered on YouTube: the Royal Swedish Ballet production.

I would share the link, but it's blocked from being shared on other sites besides YouTube.

It dispenses with the ballet's traditional characters (Marie/Clara, Godfather Drosselmeyer, the Sugar Plum Fairy, etc.), and combines the plot with that of a popular Swedish children's book, Peter and Lotta's Christmas by Elsa Beskow.

As it happens, I grew up with Elsa Beskow's books despite not being Swedish, because my mom discovered them in English translation and fell in love with them when I was in kindergarten. The Peter and Lotta series is about two little orphaned siblings who live with three middle aged sisters, Aunt Green, Aunt Brown, and Aunt Lavender; the other major character is their family friend, Uncle Blue.

In this Nutcracker production, Lotta starts out in the Marie/Clara role while Peter replaces Fritz, but they both go through the magical adventure at night rather than just Lotta. Uncle Blue replaces Drosselmeyer, while the three foster aunts provide comic relief, and the role of the Nutcracker Prince is taken by a friendly charcoal-burner from the Peter and Lotta's Christmas book. During the Act I Christmas party, the charcoal-burner and Uncle Blue's housemaid share obvious romantic feelings, which Peter and Lotta encourage them to act on. Then, in the battle, the maid is the one who saves the day by squashing the Rat King with her broom. Thus she becomes the Nutcracker Prince's lady-love, sheds her plain serving clothes to reveal her true beauty, and becomes the Act II prima ballerina who dances the pas de deux with the Prince.

This staging also incorporates aspects of a traditional Swedish Christmas that obviously aren't seen in most productions. Instead of the traditional soldier, the nutcracker is shaped like the Yule Goat!

I'm not sure anyone who didn't grow up with Elsa Beskow's books would fully appreciate this production, but it is a very interesting one.

It makes me want to come up with my own Nutcracker production concept based on some other children's book series. Madeline, for example: I think a Madeline-themed Nutcracker could be fun...

@themousefromfantasyland, @ariel-seagull-wings

#ballet #the nutcracker #royal swedish ballet #peter and lotta #elsa beskow #sweden

[thefaeriefolk]

#gnomes #fantasy art #vintage #elsa beskow

[familiar-spirit]

Elsa Beskow, 1874-1953

#fairy #sleep #lily of the valley #dandelion #flower fairy #sleeping in a little woven flower bed #the dream #Elsa Beskow #illustration #art

[characterswithcolorsnamesfight]

Prelims - Tant Grön, Tant Brun och Tant Gredelin

(The characters got their names from the Swedish words for green, brown, lilac and blue respectively)

#tournament polls #fandom prelims #prelims #sweden #elsa beskow